Clacton by-election: Farage skips count after claiming plot to humiliate him

Why this Clacton by-election was called

Farage stayed away from the Clacton by-election count after claiming police warned him of a plot to disrupt the result.

The Reform leader spent the night at “Farage Fest”, an invite-only event for activists several miles from the count.

It is where he pre-empted the result by declaring a “convincing, overwhelming win” surpassing the 21,225 votes he took in 2024, according to PA Media via the Guardian’s politics live blog. 

It is the first time a winning candidate has skipped the count since imprisoned IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands in 1981, the Mirror reported.

The contest, expected to cost taxpayers more than £250,000, was triggered when Farage quit as an MP earlier this summer while facing a formal investigation over an undeclared £5million gift from Thai-based crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne before the 2024 general election.

With the major parties boycotting the vote, his main rival was the satirical candidate Count Binface, who has pledged to abolish VAR and “nationalise Adele”.

Farage was a heavy favourite in the Clacton by-election odds throughout.

Farage spoke about the by-election: "I am damned if I am going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory.... and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies."

The count went ahead regardless, with acting returning officer Ian Davidson saying it was Farage’s decision “whether or not to attend the count”.

Binface, who was present, said he was “flattered” by how hard Reform had campaigned to beat him.